Toronto public school takes part in The World’s Largest School Fire Drill

The fire drill at Essex Junior and Senior Public School today is one of many fire drills taking place throughout Ontario as part of The World’s Largest School Fire Drill, developed by the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council.

“This fire drill is in its second year of operation,” said Doug Crawford, Deputy Fire Marshal of Ontario. “Apart from providing students and educators with essential fire safety messages, fire drills are a good way to keep Ontario students and educators safe from fire. Ontario schools are provincially mandated to host six fire drills every year.”

In addition to the fire drill, students are encouraged to take home fire safety information to share with their families. The information includes materials about the requirement of working smoke alarms on every storey of Ontario homes, the importance of developing and practicing a home fire escape plan to ensure every member of the household knows what to do in the event of a fire, fire safe cooking practices, and safe candle usage tips.

“More than 400 students and teachers will file out of the public school to a safe meeting place,” said Fire Chief Bill Stewart, Toronto Fire Services. “A province-wide fire drill during Fire Prevention Week is one of the best ways to educate students that everyone has a role to play in taking responsibility for their personal fire safety.”

Last year during Fire Prevention Week, more than one million students and educators took part in The World’s Largest School Fire Drill from more than 2,100 schools in Ontario. Some of Ontario’s most devastating fatal fire tragedies have occurred in Ontario homes. Toronto Fire Services hopes the school fire drill will remind parents and caregivers of the importance of developing a home fire escape plan.